Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has developed a device that uses lasers to project real three-dimensional images in mid-air. The institute unveiled the device on February 7 in a demonstration that showed off the device's ability to project three-dimensional shapes of white light.

AIST developed the projector with the cooperation of Keio University and Burton Inc. (Kawasaki, Japan). Until now, projected three-dimensional imagery has been "artificial" -- optical illusions that appear 3D due to the parallax difference between the eyes of the observer. Prolonged viewing of this conventional sort of 3D imagery can cause physical discomfort.

The newly developed device, however, creates "real" 3D images by using laser light, which is focused through a lens at points in space above the device, to create plasma emissions from the nitrogen and oxygen in the air at the point of focus. Because plasma emission continues for a short period of time, the device is able to create 3D images by moving the point of focus.

At the demonstration, bursts of laser light were emitted 100 times per second to form shapes in the air up to 50 cm above the device. Heat from the laser caused the air to expand, producing a crackling sound that resembled a series of tiny explosions.

At the moment, the distance at which the device can project images is limited to between 2 and 3 meters. Improved laser technology will enable images to be projected at greater distances and with more color, so we may soon see 3D images floating above our city skylines.

The chief scientist at AISTs Photonics Research Institute says, "We believe this technology may eventually be used in applications ranging from pyrotechnics to outdoor advertising."

nick

Oh boy I can see it now, in 3D... "You Are Now Driving on 'Quicken Loans Byway'". As if advertising hasnt mucked up the landscape enough as it is. At least you can pass billboards, imagine a coke ad floating above you for the better part of a trip?

blankoboy

FirstDown Mage

So how long before this technology can be used to show a football game being played in Kansas City, in a Philadelphia Stadium? or possibly my living room? 5 years I hope. I'll start saving some money for it.

jeff blyth

And a nice way to create and focus these spots is to first make a transmission hologram . This idea is a bit ironic as holograms are always considered to be the ultimate in 3D imagery and yet here you would be using it as a focusing element only.

Carlos

hah. Advertisements on this thing. That'd be a killer. I can't wait to see the full potential of this thing, though, once they've worked everything out. Instead of actually playing or watching games and movies, we could be inside of them. How cool would that be?

halleluJA

prot

R. B. Bennett

Yes it's cool and advertising will no doubt use it extensivele, but unfortunately, it will probably be most popular for porn. Hope I'm wrong, but it seems like they are the only people willing to spend large amounts of money to view content on new technology.

Dranore

SK

Hmm, i think this has some serious tactical applications for the military, just think about it a 3D representation of the surrounding terrain that has real time feeds from various radar stations as well as manual input from various units that are on the field, definately would make it easier to read the info than a 2d map.

Daniel Schryvers

More of those lasers in a 3D-array could make a walk-through environment. I know how to make it a real solid environment: intelligent DUST. That would make a hollodeck. Connect two of them with a transmission-line and you have a 3D-environment phone... Sorry, just dreaming.

hiroki yuki

ramiz

x0r-

"More of those lasers in a 3D-array could make a walk-through environment. I know how to make it a real solid environment: intelligent DUST. That would make a hollodeck. Connect two of them with a transmission-line and you have a 3D-environment phone Sorry, just dreaming."

Ok, how about this, I know every one is thinking it, if that were to happen, and we could materialize an environment with images of any kind in our homes, i'd be boning porn star acctresses the rest of my life. I would just do it till i died, and so would you heh. Then id drink a virtual slurm and play some real life pac man.

Daniel Schryvers

It would just mean that design becomes the product. Since you could shape anything (with feel and heat incorporated), the patents for objects would just be based on the form and function description. As if you just keep a record of a certain 3D(and why not movie) skin and then attribute a function to it. Next step: combine ideas. I was dreaming of combining 3D-laser technology with shape-shanges that are functional. F.i. a chair transforming into a car, where the 3D skin forms the image and the DUST supports the structure where there's real contact with a human being.

johndavidfeldman

I saw a documentary of the same new technology that allows you to project even a computer monitor using water vapor and a light projector. The image still is not that 3D but if viewed at the perfect angle you can see pictures or videos of any size. Basically anything a computer can do.

dada

okies ma dokies

i saw an advert too with that clip on but i cant remember what it was from... i've been searching google videos and youtube for it... its one of those with the running commentary in it... something like inventions or honda or internet... reply to steve wright, if that helps

brain

yall really need to learn how to spell, but thats besides the point. the point that some of you are retarded freaks to think that the issues laid out now are just common errors of prototype testing, so think before you speak mark fabricius.
I clearly agree with R. B. Bennett about the porn thing.

Chuck Norris

Variable

From TFA "Heat from the laser caused the air to expand, producing a crackling sound that resembled a series of tiny explosions."
I do not think I want to walk through that... the heat from the laser causes the water in your skin to evaporate causing serious burns and a cool crackling sound. Also x0r- I do not want to "be boning porn star acctresses (check your spelling) the rest of my life" as the pain it would cause to my unit would be well...BAD! Think before you want interactive porn produced by high powered lasers.... bunch of perverts... go get a real girlfriend or a hooker it is cheaper than the projector.
I do not think, without adding other gasses, that it would be any color other than what it currently is and even then you run into the problem of controlling where each gas is emitted so the "pixel" next to the colored plassma ball does not change to an unwanted color.

Ken D'Ambrosio

Funny. Truth be told, I always thought that this would be accomplished with interferometry; I guess not. Should be interesting to see how this technology shapes up. Finally, Scooby Doo really -can- have fake haunted ships projected on thin air!

Dojo Mojo

You all need to smoke some more weed. Just because a technology can be prototyped, does not mean, and is a *long way* from, being able to have it in your living room, have sex with it, turn it into "intelligent dust" or the holodeck.

Remember that "jet pack" that a guy flew into football stadiums with in the 1970s? I'm sure a lot of people thought that by year 2000 we'd all be using those to get to work. Didn't happen... because logistically there's TONS more to it.

There's TONS more required to make this technology truly feasible too. I'd say those tiny explosions are a problem. Also, lasers tend not to extend into air & just "stop," which can be a serious problem too. There are other issues too, if you think with your brain and not your pot smoke.

tiny tim

Hmmm... If this sort of thing is project it to open skies as adverting, god. Then we just have more light pollution and 3D spam. I don't see that as a great leap forward. I also don't see any comment on the power consumption require to run this sort of new adverting billboards more or less than the present neon systems.

Djavolak

It's nice but not so exiting the space hotel virgin atlantics and the french guy are building is far coooooler...
i can see in the near future it will say when i wake up things like brush your teeth you have a meeting at 9pm in 3D or h4x0r3d by 313373 :D :D :D how can they prevent hacking and other ads...

joShu

For example: the crackling air concerns me.
But talking with a 3D representation of my young nephew in the kitchen, or having some 3d art sculpture in the living room would be cool.

Dojo Mojo makes good comments about the difficulty of actually implementing. But his comment that "Dreaming is easy. Engineering is hard" is a little extreme. If dreaming was that easy we'd already have prototyped solutions to many of our current woes and desires ...

DeXuM

mike schlecht

Old technology rehashed with new particles. You need to come up with 3 colored lights syn them up. Hell without some real rework, I don't see this being used just as holograms aren't used or 3D-Glasses. Why? You probably get nausea and head-aks after 1 hr of viewing because of freq the laser is flicking at mess with your brain patterns.

I didn't quite understand the part explaining "Because plasma emission continues for a short period of time, the device is able to create 3D images by moving the point of focus". What does this mean? That for video the stuff is useless? And thats why they are only targeting the technology for outdoors advertising?

Jack Andrews Seven

Dan

This is pretty much useless. Other than for academic reasons. 1: notice everyone is wearing those killer green goggles, it's probably not only intensly bright, but produces tons of UV radiation. 2: It can only produce white light 3: It's frikin lazers exploding air, you can't have that in your living room. 4: IT"S LAZERS EXPLODING AIR!!! you don't want to be near that. 5: In order to have Ads built out of it, the lasers would have to be bigger and explode more air, posing a serious hazard to everything around it. Similar laser air plasma technology has been developed to be used as a less than lethal weapon, essentially exploding air right in front of someone would set off a flash-bang point blank and F- them up hard. It's cool, but You won't be playing anything other than pong with this thing... And you certainly wont be wanting to walk "through the movie" unless it's got built in sensors that intelligently stop projecting in areas that are close enough to be harmfull to you. Realistically, the only practical use for this is the 2-3 meter long light saber... or more realistically Laser Walls, Although it seems like a ridiculously expensive and complicated alternative to steel. It could be used as some sort of costumizable area denial system.

Klappstuhl

David Winter

WELL I HAVE A VERY VERY SIMPLE DEVICE WHICH CAN DISPLAY TRUE 3D IMAGES GENERATED AND EASILY EDITED ON COMPUTER THAT ARE TRANSPARENT AND YOU CAN WALK AROUND THEM. ANYONE OUT THERE INTERESTED? ALSO ITS INCREDIBLY CHEAP TO MAKE. IM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.

RP

From the "League Of Extraordinary Gamers"(tm) I hope this technology gets developed fast so I can use it in my indoor gaming facility.I am putting this new indoor gaming adventure together and I hope to be using all kinds of 3-D holgrams and High def. video 3-D programs in the virtual reality environment. Stay tuned for further.

brothaman

What happens if baby Huey sticks his fingers into the projection. This thing could catch your CAT on fire. Also, the emissions burn your retina because the plasma "mini-explosions" are like watching a SEAL Team flashbang go off 100times per second.

Bob

Hehe, this technologie is stil dangerous. That guy is wearing eye protection for a reason.

And for advertising use above city skyline, I guess that could work but for home entertainment, it's a bit too dangerous with all those explosions and expanding air. Don't want to see my home on fire because I forgot to turn it off.

Orktopretzel

Man! It's like seeing what the prototypal T.V was like, or the first video game. In a decade or two this stuff will already be becoming primitive. I don't know whether to love it or shudder from it. But it freaks me out so really, I do love it.